As winter drew on, Mollie became more and more troublesome. —
随着冬天的临近，莫利变得越来越讨厌。 —

She was late for work every morning and excused herself by saying that she had overslept, and she complained of mysterious pains, although her appetite was excellent. —
她每天早上都迟到，借口说自己睡过头了，虽然她的胃口非常好，但她抱怨身体上的神秘疼痛。 —

On every kind of pretext she would run away from work and go to the drinking pool, where she would stand foolishly gazing at her own reflection in the water. —
她总是以种种借口逃离工作，跑去饮水池，在那里愚蠢地凝视着自己在水中的倒影。 —

But there were also rumours of something more serious. —
但也传出了更加严重的谣言。一天， —

One day, as Mollie strolled blithely into the yard, flirting her long tail and chewing at a stalk of hay, Clover took her aside.
当莫利悠然走进院子，摇晃着长长的尾巴，嚼着一根干草的时候，克洛弗把她叫到一边。

“Mollie,” she said, “I have something very serious to say to you. —
“莫利，”她说，”我有一件非常严重的事要告诉你。 —

This morning I saw you looking over the hedge that divides Animal Farm from Foxwood. —
今天早上我看到你站在把动物农场和福克斯伍德隔开的篱笆边上往里看。 —

One of Mr. Pilkington’s men was standing on the other side of the hedge. —
福克斯伍德的皮尔金顿先生的一个人站在篱笆的另一边。 —

And–I was a long way away, but I am almost certain I saw this–he was talking to you and you were allowing him to stroke your nose. —
而且——我离得很远，但我几乎可以肯定我看到了——他在和你说话，而你却允许他摸你的鼻子。 —

What does that mean, Mollie?”
这是什么意思，莫利？

“He didn’t! I wasn’t! It isn’t true!” cried Mollie, beginning to prance about and paw the ground.
“他没！我没！这不是真的！”莫莉尖叫着，开始踮着脚跺地。

“Mollie! Look me in the face. —
“莫莉！看着我。 —

Do you give me your word of honour that that man was not stroking your nose?”
你发誓那个人没有摸你的鼻子？”克洛弗问道。

“It isn’t true!” repeated Mollie, but she could not look Clover in the face, and the next moment she took to her heels and galloped away into the field.
“不是真的！”莫莉重复着，但她无法直视克洛弗的眼睛，下一刻她迅速地逃跑进了田野。

A thought struck Clover. Without saying anything to the others, she went to Mollie’s stall and turned over the straw with her hoof. —
一念之间，克洛弗想到了某件事。她没告诉其他动物，径直走向了莫莉的马棚，用蹄子翻动起秸草。 —

Hidden under the straw was a little pile of lump sugar and several bunches of ribbon of different colours.
秸草下面藏着一小堆方糖和几捆不同颜色的丝带。

Three days later Mollie disappeared. —
三天后，莫莉消失了。 —

For some weeks nothing was known of her whereabouts, then the pigeons reported that they had seen her on the other side of Willingdon. —
几周过去了，没人知道她去了哪里，后来鸽子们报告说他们在威林登的另一边见到了她。 —

She was between the shafts of a smart dogcart painted red and black, which was standing outside a public-house. —
她在一辆红黑相间的漂亮狗车的胶轮之间，车停在一家酒吧外面。 —

A fat red-faced man in check breeches and gaiters, who looked like a publican, was stroking her nose and feeding her with sugar. —
一个肥胖的面红耳赤的男人，穿着方格裤子和长统靴，看着像是个酒吧老板，他在抚摸着她的鼻子并喂她吃糖。 —

Her coat was newly clipped and she wore a scarlet ribbon round her forelock. —
她的毛被剪得很整齐，额前系着一条红色的丝带。 —

She appeared to be enjoying herself, so the pigeons said. —
她似乎正在享受着自己的时光，鸽子们说。 —

None of the animals ever mentioned Mollie again.
再也没有动物提起过莫利。

In January there came bitterly hard weather. —
一月份的天气非常寒冷。 —

The earth was like iron, and nothing could be done in the fields. —
大地像铁一样，田间什么都做不了。 —

Many meetings were held in the big barn, and the pigs occupied themselves with planning out the work of the coming season. —
大谷仓里举行了许多会议，猪们忙着计划下个季节的工作。 —

It had come to be accepted that the pigs, who were manifestly cleverer than the other animals, should decide all questions of farm policy, though their decisions had to be ratified by a majority vote. —
人们已经认可了，比其他动物聪明得多的猪应该决定农场的政策问题，尽管他们的决定必须经过多数投票的批准。 —

This arrangement would have worked well enough if it had not been for the disputes between Snowball and Napoleon. —
只要涉及到不同意见的问题，这种安排本来是可行的。但是斯诺伯尔和拿破仑之间的争吵打破了这一点。 —

These two disagreed at every point where disagreement was possible. —
这两个人在每个可能发生分歧的地方都意见不合。 —

If one of them suggested sowing a bigger acreage with barley, the other was certain to demand a bigger acreage of oats, and if one of them said that such and such a field was just right for cabbages, the other would declare that it was useless for anything except roots. —
如果其中一个人建议用更大的面积种植大麦，另一个人肯定会要求种植更大面积的燕麦；如果其中一个人说某个地块非常适合种植卷心菜，另一个人则会宣称该地块除了种植根类蔬菜毫无用处。 —

Each had his own following, and there were some violent debates. —
他们各自有自己的追随者，而且有一些激烈的辩论。 —

At the Meetings Snowball often won over the majority by his brilliant speeches, but Napoleon was better at canvassing support for himself in between times. —
在会议上，雪球经常通过其出色的演讲赢得多数人的支持，但拿破仑擅长于在之间为自己争取支持。 —

He was especially successful with the sheep. —
他在与绵羊的交流中取得了特别成功。 —

Of late the sheep had taken to bleating “Four legs good, two legs bad” both in and out of season, and they often interrupted the Meeting with this. —
最近，绵羊开始不分季节地咩咩叫着“四腿好，两腿坏”，它们经常打断会议。 —

It was noticed that they were especially liable to break into “Four legs good, two legs bad” at crucial moments in Snowball’s speeches. —
人们注意到，绵羊在雪球演讲的关键时刻更容易突然开始高喊“四腿好，两腿坏”。 —

Snowball had made a close study of some back numbers of the ‘Farmer and Stockbreeder’ which he had found in the farmhouse, and was full of plans for innovations and improvements. —
雪球在农舍里找到的一些《农场主和饲养员》的往期杂志进行了仔细研究，满脑子都是创新和改进的计划。 —

He talked learnedly about field drains, silage, and basic slag, and had worked out a complicated scheme for all the animals to drop their dung directly in the fields, at a different spot every day, to save the labour of cartage. —
他学术地谈论着田野排水、青贮料和基础矿渣，并制定了一个复杂的方案，让所有动物每天在田地上不同的地点排放粪便，以节省拉粪的劳力。 —

Napoleon produced no schemes of his own, but said quietly that Snowball’s would come to nothing, and seemed to be biding his time. —
拿破仑没有提出自己的计划，只是平静地说雪球的计划会以失败告终，似乎在等待时机。 —

But of all their controversies, none was so bitter as the one that took place over the windmill.
但在所有的争论中，最激烈的一次发生在风车的问题上。

In the long pasture, not far from the farm buildings, there was a small knoll which was the highest point on the farm. —
在农场建筑物附近的长草地上，有一个小丘，是农场上最高的地方。 —

After surveying the ground, Snowball declared that this was just the place for a windmill, which could be made to operate a dynamo and supply the farm with electrical power. —
在勘测了地形之后，雪球宣称这里正是建风车的理想地点，可以制造一个发电机并为农场提供电力。 —

This would light the stalls and warm them in winter, and would also run a circular saw, a chaff-cutter, a mangel-slicer, and an electric milking machine. —
这将照明厩舍并在冬天取暖，还可以驱动圆锯、割草机、甜菜切片机和电动挤奶机。 —

The animals had never heard of anything of this kind before (for the farm was an old-fashioned one and had only the most primitive machinery), and they listened in astonishment while Snowball conjured up pictures of fantastic machines which would do their work for them while they grazed at their ease in the fields or improved their minds with reading and conversation.
动物们以前从未听说过这种东西（因为农场是一个老式的农场，只有最原始的机械设备），他们惊讶地倾听着，雪球在他们面前描绘出图像，这些奇妙的机器会在他们舒服地在田野上吃草或进行阅读和对话的时候为他们工作。

Within a few weeks Snowball’s plans for the windmill were fully worked out. —
几周内，雪球对风车的计划已经完全制定出来了。 —

The mechanical details came mostly from three books which had belonged to Mr. Jones–‘One Thousand Useful Things to Do About the House’, ‘Every Man His Own Bricklayer’, and ‘Electricity for Beginners’. —
机械细节大部分来自三本曾属于琼斯先生的书，《家中千种有用的事情》，《每个人都是自己的砖匠》和《初学者的电学》。 —

Snowball used as his study a shed which had once been used for incubators and had a smooth wooden floor, suitable for drawing on. —
雪球用作他的书房的是一间曾经用于孵化器的棚子，有着平滑的木地板，适合绘画。 —

He was closeted there for hours at a time. —
他在那里躲藏了好几个小时。 —

With his books held open by a stone, and with a piece of chalk gripped between the knuckles of his trotter, he would move rapidly to and fro, drawing in line after line and uttering little whimpers of excitement. —
他用一块石头把书撑开，还用一块粉笔夹在蹄子的指关节之间，快速地来回走动，画出一条又一条线，并发出兴奋的小哼声。 —

Gradually the plans grew into a complicated mass of cranks and cog-wheels, covering more than half the floor, which the other animals found completely unintelligible but very impressive. —
渐渐地，这些计划变成了一个复杂的一堆曲柄和齿轮，几乎占据了大半个地面，其他动物们对此一无所知，但却感到非常震撼。 —

All of them came to look at Snowball’s drawings at least once a day. —
他们每天都会来看雪球的图纸。 —

Even the hens and ducks came, and were at pains not to tread on the chalk marks. —
甚至连母鸡和鸭子也来了，他们小心翼翼地不踩到粉笔的印记。 —

Only Napoleon held aloof. —
只有拿破仑独自站在一旁。 —

He had declared himself against the windmill from the start. —
他从一开始就反对风车。 —

One day, however, he arrived unexpectedly to examine the plans. —
然而有一天，他突然来检查图纸。 —

He walked heavily round the shed, looked closely at every detail of the plans and snuffed at them once or twice, then stood for a little while contemplating them out of the corner of his eye; —
他沉重地绕着棚子走了一圈，仔细查看了计划的每个细节，并用鼻子闻了闻，然后静静地站了一会儿，斜眼看着它们。 —

then suddenly he lifted his leg, urinated over the plans, and walked out without uttering a word.
然后突然他抬起腿，对着计划图纸撒了尿，然后默不作声地走了出去。

The whole farm was deeply divided on the subject of the windmill. —
整个农场对风车的问题意见不一。 —

Snowball did not deny that to build it would be a difficult business. —
雪球并没有否认建造风车会是件困难的事情。 —

Stone would have to be carried and built up into walls, then the sails would have to be made and after that there would be need for dynamos and cables. —
石头必须被搬运并建成墙壁，然后还需要制作风车的桨叶，之后还需要发电机和电缆。 —

(How these were to be procured, Snowball did not say. —
（这些又是如何获取的，雪球没有说。 —

) But he maintained that it could all be done in a year. —
）但他坚持认为，这一切可以在一年内完成。 —

And thereafter, he declared, so much labour would be saved that the animals would only need to work three days a week. —
之后，他宣称，可以节省这么多的劳动力，动物们只需要每周工作三天。 —

Napoleon, on the other hand, argued that the great need of the moment was to increase food production, and that if they wasted time on the windmill they would all starve to death. —
另一方面，拿破仑则认为，当下最需要的是增加粮食产量，如果他们把时间浪费在风车上，他们都会饿死。 —

The animals formed themselves into two factions under the slogan, “Vote for Snowball and the three-day week” and “Vote for Napoleon and the full manger.” Benjamin was the only animal who did not side with either faction. —
动物们根据口号分成了两派：“投票支持雪球和每周三天工作”和“投票支持拿破仑和饱满的饲槽”。本杰明是唯一不支持任何派别的动物。 —

He refused to believe either that food would become more plentiful or that the windmill would save work. —
他拒绝相信食物会变得更丰富，风车会减轻工作量的说法。 —

Windmill or no windmill, he said, life would go on as it had always gone on–that is, badly.
无论有没有风车，他说，生活将像以往一样继续下去 - 也就是说，糟糕的生活。

Apart from the disputes over the windmill, there was the question of the defence of the farm. —
除了风车的争议之外，还有关于农场的防御问题。 —

It was fully realised that though the human beings had been defeated in the Battle of the Cowshed they might make another and more determined attempt to recapture the farm and reinstate Mr. Jones. They had all the more reason for doing so because the news of their defeat had spread across the countryside and made the animals on the neighbouring farms more restive than ever. —
众人都清楚，虽然人类在牛棚战斗中被击败，但他们可能再次更加坚决地试图夺回农场，并恢复琼斯先生的统治。这样做的理由更加充分，因为他们的失败消息已经传遍乡间，让邻近农场的动物更加不安。 —

As usual, Snowball and Napoleon were in disagreement. —
按照常规，斯诺布尔和拿破仑意见不合。 —

According to Napoleon, what the animals must do was to procure firearms and train themselves in the use of them. —
根据拿破仑的说法，动物们必须获取火器并训练使用它们。 —

According to Snowball, they must send out more and more pigeons and stir up rebellion among the animals on the other farms. —
根据Snowball的说法，他们必须派出越来越多的信鸽，在其他农场的动物中引起反抗。 —

The one argued that if they could not defend themselves they were bound to be conquered, the other argued that if rebellions happened everywhere they would have no need to defend themselves. —
一个主张如果他们不能自卫就注定会被征服，另一个主张如果反抗到处发生，他们就不需要自卫。 —

The animals listened first to Napoleon, then to Snowball, and could not make up their minds which was right; —
动物们先听了拿破仑的发言，接着听了Snowball的发言，无法决定哪个是对的； —

indeed, they always found themselves in agreement with the one who was speaking at the moment.
事实上，他们总是发现自己与目前发言的那个人达成一致。

At last the day came when Snowball’s plans were completed. —
最后的那一天终于来了，Snowball的计划完成了。 —

At the Meeting on the following Sunday the question of whether or not to begin work on the windmill was to be put to the vote. —
在接下来的星期日的会议上，是否要开始建造风车的问题将被投票决定。 —

When the animals had assembled in the big barn, Snowball stood up and, though occasionally interrupted by bleating from the sheep, set forth his reasons for advocating the building of the windmill. —
当动物们聚集在大谷仓里时，Snowball站起来，尽管偶尔被羊的咩咩声打断，但他阐述了建造风车的理由。 —

Then Napoleon stood up to reply. —
然后拿破仑站起来回答。 —

He said very quietly that the windmill was nonsense and that he advised nobody to vote for it, and promptly sat down again; —
他低声说风车是无稽之谈，建议大家都不要投票支持，然后坐了下来； —

he had spoken for barely thirty seconds, and seemed almost indifferent as to the effect he produced. —
他只说了不到三十秒，似乎对自己的影响毫不在意。 —

At this Snowball sprang to his feet, and shouting down the sheep, who had begun bleating again, broke into a passionate appeal in favour of the windmill. —
这时，斯诺布尔站起来，压低了绵羊们的嘀咕声，激情四溢地为风车辩护。 —

Until now the animals had been about equally divided in their sympathies, but in a moment Snowball’s eloquence had carried them away. —
此时，动物们的立场几乎一半一半，但斯诺布尔凭借其雄辩的演讲迅速夺走了他们的心。 —

In glowing sentences he painted a picture of Animal Farm as it might be when sordid labour was lifted from the animals’ backs. —
在动情有力的陈述中，他描绘出了动物农场在摆脱繁重劳动后可能出现的景象。 —

His imagination had now run far beyond chaff-cutters and turnip-slicers. —
他的想象力已经远远超出了粉碎机和萝卜切割机。 —

Electricity, he said, could operate threshing machines, ploughs, harrows, rollers, and reapers and binders, besides supplying every stall with its own electric light, hot and cold water, and an electric heater. —
他说，电力可以驱动脱粒机、犁、耙、滚筒和收割机，还可以为每个畜舍提供独立的电灯、冷热水和电加热器。 —

By the time he had finished speaking, there was no doubt as to which way the vote would go. —
当他讲完话时，没有人怀疑投票结果会是怎样的。 —

But just at this moment Napoleon stood up and, casting a peculiar sidelong look at Snowball, uttered a high-pitched whimper of a kind no one had ever heard him utter before.
但就在这时，拿破仑站起来，斜眼看着斯诺伯尔，发出了一种以前没人听过的尖声呜咽声。

At this there was a terrible baying sound outside, and nine enormous dogs wearing brass-studded collars came bounding into the barn. —
就在此时，外面传来一阵可怕的嚎叫声，九只带着铜钉项圈的巨大狗腾空跃入谷仓。 —

They dashed straight for Snowball, who only sprang from his place just in time to escape their snapping jaws. —
它们径直冲向斯诺伯尔，只见斯诺伯尔从位置上跳开，侥幸躲过它们的咬嚼。 —

In a moment he was out of the door and they were after him. —
一时间， —

Too amazed and frightened to speak, all the animals crowded through the door to watch the chase. —
所有的动物都吃惊而害怕地挤过门去观看这场追逐。 —

Snowball was racing across the long pasture that led to the road. —
斯诺伯尔飞奔过通往公路的长牧场。 —

He was running as only a pig can run, but the dogs were close on his heels. —
它以猪的速度奔跑，但狗们紧追其后。 —

Suddenly he slipped and it seemed certain that they had him. —
突然，它滑倒了，看来他们肯定抓到了它。 —

Then he was up again, running faster than ever, then the dogs were gaining on him again. —
然后它又站了起来，比以往更快地跑着，然后狗们又追上了它。 —

One of them all but closed his jaws on Snowball’s tail, but Snowball whisked it free just in time. —
其中一个几乎咬住了雪球的尾巴，但雪球及时地挣脱了。 —

Then he put on an extra spurt and, with a few inches to spare, slipped through a hole in the hedge and was seen no more.
然后他突然加快速度，在篱笆上留下一些空隙，消失了。

Silent and terrified, the animals crept back into the barn. —
动物们沉默而恐惧地悄悄回到了谷仓里。 —

In a moment the dogs came bounding back. —
瞬间，狗们又跳了回来。 —

At first no one had been able to imagine where these creatures came from, but the problem was soon solved: —
起初，没有人能想象这些生物是从哪里来的，但问题很快解决了： —

they were the puppies whom Napoleon had taken away from their mothers and reared privately. —
它们是拿破仑从它们的母亲那里带走，并私下养大的小狗。 —

Though not yet full-grown, they were huge dogs, and as fierce-looking as wolves. —
虽然它们还没有长大，但它们是巨大的狗，看起来像狼一样凶猛。 —

They kept close to Napoleon. —
它们一直靠近拿破仑。 —

It was noticed that they wagged their tails to him in the same way as the other dogs had been used to do to Mr. Jones.
人们发现它们和其他狗一样，摇尾巴对拿破仑表示忠诚，就像它们曾经对着琼斯先生这样。

Napoleon, with the dogs following him, now mounted on to the raised portion of the floor where Major had previously stood to deliver his speech. —
拿破仑带着这些狗跟着他走，现在站上了之前马乔尔站着演讲的高台。 —

He announced that from now on the Sunday-morning Meetings would come to an end. —
他宣布从现在开始，周日早晨的会议将结束。 —

They were unnecessary, he said, and wasted time. —
他说这些会议是多余的，浪费时间。 —

In future all questions relating to the working of the farm would be settled by a special committee of pigs, presided over by himself. —
今后，关于农场运作的所有问题将由一个特别委员会的猪负责解决，他自己担任主席。 —

These would meet in private and afterwards communicate their decisions to the others. —
他们将在秘密会议中讨论，然后将他们的决定传达给其他动物。 —

The animals would still assemble on Sunday mornings to salute the flag, sing ‘Beasts of England’, and receive their orders for the week; —
动物们仍将在周日早晨集合，行礼致敬旗帜，唱《英国野兽之歌》，并接收当周的任务指示; —

but there would be no more debates.
但不再进行辩论讨论。

In spite of the shock that Snowball’s expulsion had given them, the animals were dismayed by this announcement. —
虽然斯诺鲍的驱逐给他们带来了震惊，但动物们对这个宣告感到沮丧。 —

Several of them would have protested if they could have found the right arguments. —
如果他们能找到合适的论据，其中一些动物本来会提出抗议的。 —

Even Boxer was vaguely troubled. —
甚至拖拉机都感到有些困惑。 —

He set his ears back, shook his forelock several times, and tried hard to marshal his thoughts; —
他耷拉着耳朵，几次摇晃着前鬃，努力整理思绪， —

but in the end he could not think of anything to say. —
但最终想不出要说什么。 —

Some of the pigs themselves, however, were more articulate. —
然而，其中一些猪本身更加表达能力强。 —

Four young porkers in the front row uttered shrill squeals of disapproval, and all four of them sprang to their feet and began speaking at once. —
前排的四只小猪发出尖锐的不满尖叫声，而且它们四个都跳起来了，同时开始说话。 —

But suddenly the dogs sitting round Napoleon let out deep, menacing growls, and the pigs fell silent and sat down again. —
但突然，围在拿破仑周围的狗发出低沉、威胁的咆哮声，猪们安静下来，重新坐下。 —

Then the sheep broke out into a tremendous bleating of “Four legs good, two legs bad!” which went on for nearly a quarter of an hour and put an end to any chance of discussion.
然后绵羊们开始大声高叫：“四条腿好，两条腿坏！” 高叫持续了将近四分之一小时，结束了任何讨论的机会。

Afterwards Squealer was sent round the farm to explain the new arrangement to the others.
之后，斯奎勒被派到农场去向其他动物解释新的安排。

“Comrades,” he said, “I trust that every animal here appreciates the sacrifice that Comrade Napoleon has made in taking this extra labour upon himself. —
“同志们，”他说，“我相信这里的每只动物都能够欣赏到拿破仑同志为承担这额外的劳动所作出的牺牲。 —

Do not imagine, comrades, that leadership is a pleasure! —
同志们，不要以为领导职责就是一种乐趣！ —

On the contrary, it is a deep and heavy responsibility. —
相反地，这是一项沉重的责任。 —

No one believes more firmly than Comrade Napoleon that all animals are equal. —
没有人比拿破仑同志更坚信所有动物是平等的。 —

He would be only too happy to let you make your decisions for yourselves. —
他将非常乐意让你们自己做决定。 —

But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, and then where should we be? —
但是有时候你们可能会做出错误的决定，同志们，那我们就会怎么办呢？ —

Suppose you had decided to follow Snowball, with his moonshine of windmills – Snowball, who, as we now know, was no better than a criminal?”
假设你们决定跟随斯诺伯，相信他胡言乱语的风车计划–斯诺伯，我们现在知道，他和罪犯没什么两样。”

“He fought bravely at the Battle of the Cowshed,” said somebody.
“他在牛棚战斗中表现勇敢，” 有人说。

“Bravery is not enough,” said Squealer. —
“勇敢不够，”斯奎勒说道，” —

“Loyalty and obedience are more important. —
忠诚和服从更重要。 —

And as to the Battle of the Cowshed, I believe the time will come when we shall find that Snowball’s part in it was much exaggerated. —
至于牛棚战斗，我相信我们终将会发现斯诺伯的功绩被夸大了。 —

Discipline, comrades, iron discipline! —
同志们，纪律，铁的纪律！ —

That is the watchword for today. —
这是今天的口号。 —

One false step, and our enemies would be upon us. —
一步错，敌人就会袭击我们。同志们， —

Surely, comrades, you do not want Jones back?”
你们肯定不想要琼斯回来吧？

Once again this argument was unanswerable. —
这个论点再次无法反驳。当然， —

Certainly the animals did not want Jones back; —
动物们不希望琼斯回来； —

if the holding of debates on Sunday mornings was liable to bring him back, then the debates must stop. —
如果在星期天上午进行辩论可能会引来他，那么辩论必须停止。 —

Boxer, who had now had time to think things over, voiced the general feeling by saying: —
拳击手现在有时间思考事情，他表达了普遍的感受，说： —

“If Comrade Napoleon says it, it must be right.” And from then on he adopted the maxim, “Napoleon is always right,” in addition to his private motto of “I will work harder.”
“如果拿破仑同志说的，那一定是对的。”从那时起，他采取了“拿破仑总是对的”这个格言，除了他个人的座右铭“我会更加努力”。

By this time the weather had broken and the spring ploughing had begun. —
此时天气已经转暖，春耕工作已经开始。 —

The shed where Snowball had drawn his plans of the windmill had been shut up and it was assumed that the plans had been rubbed off the floor. —
装有关于风车计划的鸽屋被封闭了，人们认为计划已经被擦掉了。 —

Every Sunday morning at ten o’clock the animals assembled in the big barn to
每个星期天上午十点，动物们都会聚集在大谷仓里，接受本周的命令。老麦哲伦的头骨已经从果园里挖出来，放在旗杆脚下的树桩上，旁边放着一把枪。

receive their orders for the week. The skull of old Major, now clean of flesh, had been disinterred from the orchard and set up on a stump at the foot of the flagstaff, beside the gun. —
升旗后，动物们需要以虔诚的方式经过头骨，然后进入谷仓。 —

After the hoisting of the flag, the animals were required to file past the skull in a reverent manner before entering the barn. —
—

Nowadays they did not sit all together as they had done in the past. —
现在，他们没有像过去那样全部一起坐在一起。 —

Napoleon, with Squealer and another pig named Minimus, who had a remarkable gift for composing songs and poems, sat on the front of the raised platform, with the nine young dogs forming a semicircle round them, and the other pigs sitting behind. —
拿破仑和匙利和另一只名叫米尼米斯的猪一起坐在高平台的前端，米尼米斯非常擅长创作歌曲和诗歌，九只幼犬则围成半圆形站在他们旁边，其他的猪则坐在后面。 —

The rest of the animals sat facing them in the main body of the barn. —
其他动物则面对他们坐在大棚的主体部分。 —

Napoleon read out the orders for the week in a gruff soldierly style, and after a single singing of ‘Beasts of England’, all the animals dispersed.
拿破仑用一种傲慢的军人风格宣读了这周的指示，之后唱了一次《英勇的动物》之后，所有的动物都离开了。

On the third Sunday after Snowball’s expulsion, the animals were somewhat surprised to hear Napoleon announce that the windmill was to be built after all. —
在雪球被驱逐的第三个星期天，动物们听到拿破仑宣布风车终究要建造起来了感到惊讶。 —

He did not give any reason for having changed his mind, but merely warned the animals that this extra task would mean very hard work, it might even be necessary to reduce their rations. —
他没有给出任何改变主意的理由，只是警告动物们这项额外任务会带来非常努力的工作，甚至可能需要减少他们的食物配给。 —

The plans, however, had all been prepared, down to the last detail. —
然而，计划已经完全准备就绪，包括最后的细节。 —

A special committee of pigs had been at work upon them for the past three weeks. —
一个特别的猪委员会已经在过去的三周里对它们进行了工作。 —

The building of the windmill, with various other improvements, was expected to take two years.
预计风车的建设，以及其他各种改进，将需要两年时间。

That evening Squealer explained privately to the other animals that Napoleon had never in reality been opposed to the windmill. —
那晚，斯奎勒私下向其他动物解释，拿破仑实际上从未反对过风车。 —

On the contrary, it was he who had advocated it in the beginning, and the plan which Snowball had drawn on the floor of the incubator shed had actually been stolen from among Napoleon’s papers. —
相反，最初是他提倡建造风车的，并且斯诺鲍尔在孵化器棚的地板上画的计划实际上是从拿破仑的文件中偷来的。 —

The windmill was, in fact, Napoleon’s own creation. Why, then, asked somebody, had he spoken so strongly against it? —
风车实际上是拿破仑自己的创造。于是，有人问，为什么他对此发表了如此强烈的言论？ —

Here Squealer looked very sly. —
斯奎勒看起来很狡猾。 —

That, he said, was Comrade Napoleon’s cunning. —
斯奎勒说，那是拿破仑同志的计谋。 —

He had SEEMED to oppose the windmill, simply as a manoeuvre to get rid of Snowball, who was a dangerous character and a bad influence. —
他似乎反对风车，只是为了摆脱一个危险的角色和不良影响力的斯诺鲍尔。 —

Now that Snowball was out of the way, the plan could go forward without his interference. This, said Squealer, was something called tactics. —
既然斯诺鲍尔不在了，计划可以顺利进行，没有他的干扰。斯奎勒说，这叫做策略。 —

He repeated a number of times, “Tactics, comrades, tactics!” skipping round and whisking his tail with a merry laugh. —
他重复了很多次：“战术，同志们，战术！”他边笑着边跳来跳去，甩动着尾巴。 —

The animals were not certain what the word meant, but Squealer spoke so persuasively, and the three dogs who happened to be with him growled so threateningly, that they accepted his explanation without further questions.
动物们不确定这个词是什么意思，但是斯奎勒说得那么有说服力，而和他在一起的那三只狗威胁地低声吼着，他们便毫无疑问地接受了他的解释。